Toy arch and bridge building blocks

ABSTRACT

A plurality of preformed blocks forming a series of voussoir members are cooperatively assembled with an impost base and overlying roadway members to form toy bridges and the like.

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[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ABSTRACT: A plurality of preformed blocks forming a series 46/24 X of voussoir members are cooperatively assembled with an im- 46/ l 7 post base and overlying roadway members to form toy bridges 46/17 UX and the like.

1/1915 Vershofen.............l...:::

n u w M 0 B1 29 0O 99 H 27 658 247 374 922 bny PATENTED JUN29 I971 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR CARL ROY PAUL FECHNER PATENTEU JUH29 I97! SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. I I

CARL ROY PAUL FECHN ER INVENTOP.

TOY ARCH AND BRIDGE BUILDING BLOCKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to amusement and educational toys and more particularly to a toy block arch and suspension bridge building set.

An educational toy, such as a construction-type toy, having a plurality of parts provides a means of amusement for children and adults and in addition has an educational feature for children. The preformed blocks of the invention must be arranged or complied in a predetermined sequence in order to form archways or bridges. A number of toy bridge-building sets are disclosed by prior United States patents but these patents, for the most part, feature a series of elongated interconnected members which are replicas of existing bridges and are assembled in a set sequence. The toy blocks of this invention form a plurality of archways or may be assembled to form a suspension bridge at the user's pleasure.

US. Pat. No. 1,124,078 discloses toy blocks for forming arches wherein the arch is the complete structure but does not form a bridge or an arch spanning a selected distance or provide a simulated roadway as does the toy blocks of this invention. This invention provides a toy bridge, or the like, and features an overlying roadway to provide a passageway for toy cars or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated the invention comprises relatively inexpensive prefabricated blockand planklike parts or elements which may be assembled in a variety of ways or relationships to form an elevated span or spans having an overlying roadway for simulating arches or bridges.

The principal object is to provide a toy building block set or kit including a plurality of series of voussoir members and associated components for forming toy arches, bridges and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of three arches assembled from the set;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the components used in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an arch construction support;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of assembling a bridge arch using the support of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the bridge arch of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative arch construction support;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, to a smaller scale, of an archway and suspension-type bridge; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view to a larger scale, of an alternative manner of supporting the suspension bridge shown in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 4, the reference numeral respectively indicates three assembled longitudinally aligned archways, each formed by a plurality of voussoir members 22 including a keystone 24 and springer members 26. An impost base member 28, planklike in general configuration, having a width greater than the transverse width of the voussoir members and a length greater than the span of one arch 20, which may be elongated, as shown in FIG. 2, to span the length ofa plurality of the arches 20, is provided with a series of spaced-apart recesses 30 and 32 for nesting the depending portion of the springer members 26. After placing the springer members 26 within the recesses 30 and 32, at least one and preferably two sector-shaped arch construction support members 34, each having a handle 36, are positioned on the base 28 in parallel-spaced relation and extending longitudinally of the span of the arch to be formed. The upper arcuate surface of these sector-shaped support members 34 cooperatively receive and support the voussoir members 22 and keystone 24 when placed in consecutive archway building relation thereon. The support members 34 are then removed by means of the handle 36.

The outwardly disposed surfaces of the voussoir members 22, including the keystone 24 and springers 26, are formed so that, when assembled in the predetermined sequence, they define vertical side and end walls and a horizontal top surface for the completed arch 20. This permits a series of the arches 20 to be assembled in longitudinally aligned relation using one or more of the impost bases 28 which are preferably provided, at their respective end surfaces, with tongue and groove surfaces 38 and 40, respectively, for engagement with additional impost bases, not shown.

FIG. 1 illustrates three of the arches 20 assembled on the base 28 and provided with overlying trusses or roadway-forming members 42, each comprising a rectangular horizontally disposed plank having lateral depending flanges 44 cooperatively engaging the respective sides of each arch 20 to maintain the components of the latter in assembled relation. The arch or arches thus formed will support considerable mass by reason of the overlying roadway member 42 and the sockets or recesses retaining the springer members. The archway forming members 22, 24 and 26, shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, are of equal dimension transversely of the completed arch 20 but may be divided one or more times to each fonn a plurality of such members.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the numeral 50 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the arch substantially identical in side elevation with respect to the arch 20 but comprising a like series of similarly formed but relatively narrow, when compared with the members forming the arches 20, spaced-apart voussoir members and keystones, indicated generally at 52 and 54, and supported by springer blocks 56. The completed archway 50 is characterized by a series of transversely extending planks or boards 58 having opposed wedge-shaped ends 59 cooperatively received within a cooperating recess formed in the upwardly disposed inwardly directed side edges of the voussoir members and keystone to form a horizontal roadway.

FIG. 8 illustrates a substantially similarly formed arch 60 characterized by an arched or curved roadway surface formed by a similar series of transversely curved planks 58, each inserted within a cooperating recess 62 formed in the inner surface of the voussoir members, keystones and supporting springers indicated at 52A and 54A.

A manner of assembling the members forming the arches 50 or 60 is illustrated in FIG. 7 wherein each of the arch-forming members are provided with a bore or opening formed on a cooperatingly aligned arc in spaced relation with respect to the intrados surface of the arch to cooperatively form a bore or opening 66 with the respective ends thereof being turned inwardly of the respective springer member 56 to open on the inward side thereof. A stringer or strand 67 is simply strung, in sequence; through the bore thus formed in each of the springers, voussoir members and keystone when loosely arranged for assembly. The ends of the string or strand 67 are then drawn tautly together so that the strung members assume the assembled configuration shown in FIG. 7.

An alternative manner of supporting the arch-forming members is illustrated and indicated at 70 (FIG. 9). The arch support 70 comprises four springer members 72 mounted by pairs in spaced-apart parallel relation on axles 74 which are interconnected in spaced relation, a distance equal to the span of the respective arch 50 or 60, by a pair of crossed webs 76 forming an X-shape. The respective end portion of each leg of the X-shaped web is coaxially connected with the respective end portions of the axles 74 between the respective pair of springers 72. Thus the arch support 70 forms a base for progressively supporting the voussoir members during the construction or building of the arch 50 or 60.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 10, a pair of the arches 20 are mounted in spaced-apart longitudinally aligned relation on an impost base 28 to form a suspension bridge. This is accomplished by placing a filler block 82 within the respective recess 30 at the respective ends of each arch 20 to maintain the arch in a desired position.

The keystone block 24A of each arch 20 is vertically drilled in spaced-apart relation for receiving the depending end portion of a pair of tower posts 84. The depending end portion of each of the posts 84 is inserted within sockets 86 cooperatively formed in the upper surface of the base 28.

A modified form of the roadway panels is illustrated, at 42A, which is formed substantially identical with respect to the roadway panel 42 with the exception that it is vertically apertured for the reception of the posts 84. Other roadway panels 88 extend between the arches and are supported by suspension strands or cords 90 respectively connected with the top end portion of the posts 84 and extending therebetween longitudinally of the bridge with each end of the respective strand 90 being connected to an anchor ring 92 secured to the base 28 beyond the respective arch 20. Other rings or loops 94, connected with the roadway panel 88, are connected to the respective strand 90 by other rings 96 and brace strands 98 to form a truss pattern.

An alternative manner of forming a suspension bridge is fragmentarily illustrated in FIG. 11 wherein the arch 20 is eliminated and the posts 84 are inserted through the openings in the roadway panel 42A and a plurality, three in the example shown, vertically stacked filler blocks 82, each having cooperating tower post-receiving apertures 100, with the base or bottom end of the respective posts 84 nested by the sockets 86 in the base 28. Thereafter the strands 90 are similarly installed to support the intermediate roadway panels 88 through the interconnected ring members 94, 96 and brace strands 98.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability, therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein.

lclaim:

1. A toy arch bridge-building set, comprising:

a series of blocks including a keystone, springer and voussoir members forming an arch,

said blocks having outer surfaces defining opposing verti cal, end and sidewalls terminating in a horizontal plane, said series of blocks each having an arcuate inner surface describing an arc and forming parallel spacedapart arches;

a plurality of trusses extending transversely between and connected with the blocks forming each said arch; and means supporting said blocks during the construction of said arch, said means including two pairs of springer members, means interconnecting the springer members in cooperating spaced relation including a pair of axles respectively journaling the pairs of springer members, and web members interconnecting said axles 

1. A toy arch bridge-building set, comprising: a series of blocks including a keystone, springer and voussoir members forming an arch, said blocks having outer surfaces defining opposing vertical, end and sidewalls terminating in a horizontal plane, said series of blocks each having an arcuate inner surface describing an arc and forming parallel spaced-apart arches; a plurality of trusses extending transversely between and connected with the blocks forming each said arch; and means supporting said blocks during the construction of said arch, said means including two pairs of springer members, means interconnecting the springer members in cooperating spaced relation including a pair of axles respectively journaling the pairs of springer members, and web members interconnecting said axles. 